A Presidential Staffer, Stan Dogbe, has stated categorically that President John Mahama has no power to dismiss the CHRAJ boss Lauretta Vivian Lamptey, in spite of the numerous reports of financial misappropriation against her.
Financial Analyst Sydney Casely-Hayford and Franklin Cudjoe, Founder of policy Think Tank, IMANI Ghana, are among those calling for Lamptey’s resignation for failing to investigate numerous high profile corruption cases in the country.
Lamptey has also come under severe pressure to vacate her post following revelations that over US$203,500 US dollars has been spent on renovating her official residence.
She is currently lodging at a hotel and paying the Cedi equivalent of $456.25 per day.
Social media is replete with calls on the president to intervene in the matter and get the CHRAJ boss leave her post but Dogbe in a Facebook responds wrote: “A President cannot sack a Commissioner. Kindly refer to the Constitution on the appointment of Commissioners and their security of tenure”.
His claims are supported by the parliamentary Act 456 which established the commission.
According to the Act: “The procedure for the removal of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner shall be the same as that provided for the removal of a Justice of the Court of Appeal and a Justice of the High Court respectively under article 146 of the Constitution.
“Except as provided by the Constitution or by any other law not inconsistent with the Constitution, the Commission and the Commissioners shall, in the performance of their functions not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority” It states.
